The Welcoming Frost
by AlphaClab
Summary: The Institute of War has been attacked and Pantheon suddenly finds himself thrust into a friendship with a certain archer. However this friendship is not unappreciated by either, and when Ashe asks Pantheon to travel to Freljord with her, he readily agrees.
1. Chapter 1

**The Welcoming Frost**

 **This is the first story I have ever posted on here and as it stands I am fairly new to all of this. This may reflect in my writing, but all the same I hope you enjoy it. Reviews are appreciated and encouraged and if any have any tips I would be overjoyed if you could share them.**

Pantheon knelt in the shadows cast by the bushes and waited for his heart to stop pounding. The blasted rain still hadn't stopped but at least the clouds covered the sun and helped keep him hidden. He cast his eyes around him warily, half expecting an angry Riven to come barreling out of the jungle waving her massive sword around. As his ragged breaths slowed and returned to normal he thought back to the fight he had just barely escaped from. He was the only one on his team still in the fight and the only enemy champion not currently trying to hunt him down was Tryndamere, who Pantheon had felled with a lucky spear throw. In return Volibear had collapsed on his team's back line and torn Lux and Twitch apart in a matter of seconds. Pantheon had just barely managed to get away before that stupid bear got him a hold of him too. Now all that was left was to wait.

As Pantheon sat he waited for his summoner to give him some kind of advice, as he was kind of new to the whole League thing. However no advice came, which was a little strange, but Pantheon quickly dismissed it. As far as he was concerned a silent summoner was a good summoner. Just as he was about to stand up from his rather cramped position in the grass he noticed movement in the lane ahead of him. He quickly shrank back into the grass and observed. The figure stopped in lane and raised a bow in a ready position. " _That would be Ashe,"_ Pantheon thought to himself. He had heard stories of the Frost Archer even before he joined the League. He had spoken to her on occasion and she seemed to be a sincere person. Supposedly she plans to reunite all the clans that called the Freljord home. _"A fools errand if you ask me."_ As Pantheon observed Ashe appeared to suddenly step back, as if surprised, and then glanced around her. At first Pantheon wondered what she could be looking for, but then it hit him. " _Where are all the minions?"._

Minions were nothing but mindless dolls and were meant to spawn in waves every few minutes from each teams Nexus. They basically served as cannon fodder and weren't really considered to be a threat. As Pantheon thought back he realized he had not seen a single minion, much less a wave of them, since he had been forced to flee from the team fight. He didn't have long to think on the subject though as he suddenly heard a surprised scream and saw Ashe fall to one knee in lane, with a large arrow sticking out of her shoulder. At first Pantheon grew excited as he thought it could be his team, finally back from re-spawning. He quickly dismissed the thought however as he saw a large group of shadowy figures surround Ashe and pull her weapon from her hands. " _Something is very wrong."_ Pantheon thought to himself. He watched Ashe as she was pulled back into jungle by this strange figures. Suddenly Pantheon felt a very protective feeling come over himself and without really knowing why, he arose from the bushes and moved to follow the group.

As he walked he briefly thought to himself " _Why am I doing this? She's an enemy champion."_ Pantheon quickly brushed the thought aside. If something was really wrong and he didn't help, Ashe could die. And if he let one more per-. He shook himself. No, he wouldn't think of that, it was in the past and there was nothing he could do to change it now. But he could try to make up for it, and that was exactly what he intended to do. When he entered the jungle he looked around in surprise, for he saw no one. He suddenly jumped back in surprise as Ashe came running around a tree a few meters ahead of him. She cried out in pain and fell as another arrow pierced her knee. One of the shadowy figures Pantheon had seen earlier came around the same tree. Pantheon experienced a moment of shock when he saw the man wore Noxian armor. He quickly realized however the armor appeared to be old and battered and was mixed with pieces of other, more foreign armor. However the surprise he felt earlier was just as easily replaced with a fierce rage, unlike any other he had felt before, as the man reached down and grabbed Ashe by her hair and violently pulled her upward. Pantheon's anger only grew as he saw the sadistic smile on his face. He heard the man say "Come on little Queen, we aren't done with you yet."

Pantheon wondered for a moment why he felt this sudden protectiveness for a person he barely even knew. He was still wondering this as he leaped forward and bashed his shield into the savages face. The man was knocked backwards but through a stroke of luck managed to stay on his feet. He looked at Pantheon in surprise, and retained the same look even as his luck ran put and Pantheon's spear drove upwards through his chest. Before the body had even dropped into the river Pantheon turned towards Ashe "Can you walk?" She nodded and attempted to stand but the wound in her leg caused her to collapse back into the water. Pantheon started to hear the shouting of Ashe's other attackers drawing closer. He looked down toward Ashe and, seeing the fear in her eyes, strapped his shield onto his back. He knelt down at her side and, as gently as he could, lifted her up in his arms.

 **This first part is fairly short as I wanted to see how it was received and act on any advice before posting the next part. If you like where this is going let me know. If not, let me know anyways. Advice is always welcome:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 **Authors Note: I appreciate the feedback I have gotten so far and it's great to see people showing interest in this story. In response to a few peoples questions, yes I do plan on including some more backstory for Pantheon. I hope you enjoy:)**

Pantheon started to move forward but stopped when he remembered something. He turned back towards the man lying face down in the river and, setting Ashe down, he pulled the icy blue bow off of his back. He slung it over his shoulder and picked Ashe back up. He was shocked to find that she had passed out and quickened his step towards his team's nexus, in hope of finding a way out or at the very least someone who could help Ashe. Pantheon stopped when he saw Riven ahead of him but all she could manage to choke out was "Lux?" Pantheon just nodded his head towards his team's base and Riven fell into step behind him. Most of the League knew of the relationship between Riven and Lux, despite them attempting to keep it a secret. Pantheon saw the walls of the base looming out of the fog of war ahead of him and he hurried through the gate.

Once they got inside Riven hurried off to find Lux and Pantheon set Ashe down by one of the inhibitors. He hadn't fully realized just how light she was until he had set her down. He carefully checked his surroundings and was surprised to notice the bodies of several more of the intruders. It was fairly obvious they had gotten on the wrong side of his teammates. One had a suspicious lamp shaped indentation on the side of his head, one looked like it had gotten into a losing battle with an anchor, and another had several playing cards stuck in his throat. He was snapped out of his thoughts by the panicked voice of a summoner in his mind. "Champions, I'm pulling all of you out of the field, the Institute has been attacked!" The familiar blue light surrounded Pantheon and suddenly he was back in one of the summoning chambers. He glanced around him and saw a summoner standing next to the door with a scared look on his face. "Quickly, where is Ashe's summoning room?" he shouted at the terrified summoner.

After getting directions from the summoner Pantheon rushed out of the room and into Ashe's summoning chamber across the hallway. He found her laying on the middle of the floor, alone. Pantheon glanced around, looking for her summoner, and saw a figure in summoner's robes lying slumped in one of the back corners. He hurried to Ashe's side and, kneeling down next to her, he removed some medical items from the pouch at his side and quickly bandaged the wounds on her leg and shoulder. " _If the Institute is still under attack I'm going to need to hurry"_ Pantheon thought to himself. He walked back out into the hallway and glanced around. Seeing no movement he started to close the door, but before he was able to close it all the way he glanced down the other side of the hallway. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. Bodies of what appeared to be mercenaries, like those in the Rift, littered the floor and in the middle of them lay an unmoving figure wearing bloodstained golden armor. He hurried to the figures side and turned them over. It was Leona, and she was dead.

Pantheon entered the summoning chamber again and closed the door behind him before simply collapsing on the floor. Leona had been his childhood friend and her loss cut deep. He removed his helmet and simply sat with his head in his hands. He didn't know just how long he had been sitting there in silence until the soft voice of Ashe broke him from his trance. "Are you alright" she asked him.

Without looking up he just said "Yeah, yeah I'm fine"

"What happened?" Ashe asked, "All I remember is being attacked and then it went black. I thought I heard a summoner say the institute was being attacked."

Still without looking up Pantheon said "You were attacked in Summoner's Rift, I killed the man who attacked you." He continued without pause, "As for the institute being attacked, just look out the door and see for yourself." Pantheon looked up just in time to see Ashe giving him a strange look with her sharp blue eyes. Normally those eyes would be hard and cold but Pantheon saw a warmth in her eyes. He quickly looked away once he realized he was staring. As he looked away Ashe started to rise to her feet and walk towards the door. She got about halfway before her leg gave out and she fell forward. Before Pantheon even realized what he was doing he jumped forward and caught her in his arms.

They sat like that for a moment, with Ashe just laying in Pantheons arms until she spoke. "You know, I've never seen you without your helmet on."

"I don't take it off much anymore" was all that he offered for an explanation. Before she could ask him any further questions he quickly said "We should get your wounds looked at by someone with a bit more experience." Ashe looked at him a moment longer before nodding her head in agreement. Pantheon carried her back towards the door and cautiously looked down each end of the hallway before moving to check through each door for any other champions and summoners. The first few rooms were empty but the fourth one they checked they found Riven sitting in the middle of the floor with Lux's head resting in her lap. Pantheon quickly hurried forward "Is she alright" he asked.

Riven nodded and replied with, "Yeah, but getting pulled out of the match like that must have really taken it out of her."

Pantheon nodded in understanding and set Ashe down next to the two of them. "I'm going to go check around and then we can figure out what to do next." Ashe and Riven nodded in understanding. Before Pantheon left he turned back towards Ashe. "Oh, and I almost forgot, here's your bow back Ashe" as he unslung it from his shoulder and handed it back to her. Ashe smiled in thanks and as Pantheon turned away he felt himself smiling a little bit himself. " _Gah, what in the world is happening to me?"_ Pantheon thought after he walked out into the hallway.

He found the rest of his team from the match, Jax, Nautilus and Twisted Fate, in the last summoning room standing around and talking. He quickly explained what he knew and where the others were before heading down the other end of the summoning wing. At the end of the hallway he saw a rather gruesome spectacle. More of the unknown mercenaries lay scattered on the floor, but these hadn't died to swords or spears. These were covered in horrid chemical burns. Pantheon immediately knew who was responsible for this, Singed, and for Singed's sake he better be dead or Riven would tear him limb from limb. All the rooms in this wing were empty except for the last one, where just as he thought he would, he found Singed laying on the floor with a spear through his heart. Pantheon just shook his head and walked back to find the others.

Back in the summoning chamber they debated on what to do next. As far as they knew the Institute could be crawling with these mercenaries, but they were running out of options.

Lux had awoken and had done what she could for Ashe's wounds but even she felt it would be best if she was brought to the medical wing of the Institute. Pantheon turned towards Ashe "Can you walk now?"

She nodded, "Yeah, and thanks for helping me back there."

The conversation was swiftly cut short however when the door to the summoning room suddenly swung open. They all swiftly turned to face this new threat but stopped when they saw it was just several Institute Guards. One of the guards stepped forward, "Thank the gods you're all alive, the others have gathered in the main room."

"Who did this," Jax asked.

The guard turned to acknowledge his presence. "Mercenaries, and lots of them. As for who hired them it appears they had help from some of the summoners here and possibly some of the champions."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **AN- It took me a little longer to write this one because I am trying to make these chapters just a little bit longer. Anyways, I hop you enjoy :)**

"But why would-"

The guard quickly cut Jax off before he could finish. "We need to keep looking for any others. You should get to the main room as quickly as possible." Before any of them could ask any further questions the guards rushed off.

Lux was the first to speak up. "Well, I guess we should listen to him." They all nodded their agreement.

Pantheon stood first. "I'll take Ashe to the medical ward while the rest of you get to the main room." Once it was just Ashe and Pantheon remaining in the room they moved down the hallway. When they passed Leona's body at the end of the hallway Pantheon heard a slight gasp from behind him. Not wanting to think any further on the topic Pantheon hurried ahead. He was stopped when he felt one of Ashe's soft hands grab his arm.

"I knew you two were friends. I'm so sorry."

Pantheon just shook his head angrily and tried to keep moving. Ashe just responded by grabbing his other arm and spinning him around to face her. Pantheon once again found himself staring into Ashe's eyes. He barely even noticed her release her grip on his arms. He did notice however when she gently reached up and removed his helmet from his head. He didn't object, especially considering he didn't even remember putting it on. " _No one has ever tried to do that to me before. Why did I let her do that?"_

She smiled at him. "I like you better this way."

Pantheon lowered his head slightly. He didn't understand what Ashe thought was better about him this way. He had dark black hair with a deep voice and his eyes were normally a sort of blue-green color. However he had been told when he got angry, particularly when wearing his helmet, his eyes took on an almost orange glow. Pantheon started to open his mouth to ask her himself, but stopped when he saw the look in her eyes. " _She almost looks…...happy."_ The look in her eyes was quickly replaced by a wince of pain however and they were both yanked back to reality.

Pantheon turned away. "Come on, we need to get you to the Medical Ward."

Pantheon didn't see it but Ashe let out a small sigh of regret as he walked away. " _At least he kept the helmet off"_ she thought to herself as she walked along behind him.

As they walked Pantheon looked around and noticed that this section of the Institute appeared relatively untouched. " _I guess they targeted the summoning rooms. Probably didn't know what they were doing."_ Once they reached the Medical Ward he quickly located Soraka, who pretty much ran the medical ward, and had her find Ashe a room. Soraka worked quickly and soon Ashe was laying comfortably in one of the medical rooms with her wounds properly tended to.

Pantheon waited until Ashe started to drift off into sleep before turning to leave the room. As he started to open the door he heard Ashe's soft voice again, although this time she sounded extremely tired. "Please Pantheon, stay." He turned around with the intention of informing her he .had other things to do but as soon as he looked at her it was as if he had been possessed " _She almost looks…...desperate."_

"Sure, it's not a problem." Pantheon sat in the chair next to Ashe's bed. " _Why am I doing this"_ Pantheon wondered. It took only a moment for Ashe to fall asleep. Pantheon stood up once again and turned towards the door only to hear a soft whimper behind him. Once again he turned towards Ashe only to hear her let out another whimper in her sleep. " _She has nightmares? I guess I can understand that. Maybe I should stay with her after all"_ Once again Pantheon sat down next to Ashe's bed, only this time he reached out and gently took one of her hands in his. After a few moments she seemed to drift into a more peaceful sleep, but Pantheon still remained at her side. Ashe had removed her hood before going to sleep and now her long white hair fell about her shoulders. Without really knowing why Pantheon reached up and brushed it away from her face. " _She seems much more peaceful now. I hope I helped. I wonder if her nightmares are anything like the ones I have. Some battle scars cut deeper than than most know."_ He remained there by her side until morning.

When Ashe awoke the next morning she was happy to see that Pantheon had remained with her throughout the night. She was also surprised to find that her hand still remained in his, despite him being asleep. She sat up in her bed looked over toward Pantheon again. At some point during the night he had removed his combat armor and weapons. He was now wearing a simple shirt and a pair of pants. " _He looks very different when he isn't wearing his armor"_ Ashe thought to herself. She noticed that his weapons were laying next to his chair. Careful not to wake him she carefully reached her free hand down and picked up his spear. At first glance it appeared to be a fairly simple spear except for the fact that the shaft was fully metal and the tip was wider than most spears.

When she glanced up again she saw Pantheon, fully awake, looking at her with a smile on his face. "I'm sorry, I know how protective you tend to be of your weapons" Ashe said as she tried to hand Pantheon his spear back.

Pantheon just raised his hand and shook his head. "No, it's fine. It's just a tool." Ashe looked at him with a strange look on her face and went back to examining it.

"It's a relic weapon, isn't it?" Ashe asked him.

"Yes, my shield over there is as well." Pantheon gestured toward his shield resting in the corner. "Relic weapons of the Rakkor are handed down from generation to generation."

Ashe nodded and made an offhand gesture toward her bow. "My bow is frost enchanted, I found it in an ancient grave when I was young. It's the reason I'm still alive"

Pantheon reached over and picked up Ashe's bow. He hadn't noticed it before but holding the weapon felt like holding a chunk of ice. He quickly set it back down. "How do you carry that thing for extended periods of time?"

Ashe shrugged. "I suppose I've just gotten used to it. "

"Oh, I almost forgot. One of the guards came by while you were sleeping to give us an update. The people who attacked us have all been driven from the temple, but it appears all of the Noxian allied summoners and champions have vanished along with them."

Ashe looked up in surprise. "They think Noxus is behind this?"

Pantheon shrugged. "Could be. If they were though, why would they kill Singed?"

Now it was Ashe's turn to shrug. "Maybe he outlived his usefulness. The man was a savage anyway."

Pantheon nodded in agreement. "No argument here. They also told us most of the champions have left to return to their city-states. Reports have been coming in of scattered attacks all through Runeterra."

A serious look came into Ashe's face. "If this is true, I must return to Freljord. My people could need my help. You should do the same."

Pantheon nodded. "It is unlikely my people need my help, but it has been awhile since I returned home. It isn't likely I would stay long though."

Ashe looked as if she was about to ask him why, but thought better of it. "Why don't you come to Freljord with me? We could stop at Mount Targon first, This would give us both a chance to see where the other is from."

Pantheon started to shake his head but stopped himself. " _What am I going to do here in the meantime? I certainly don't plan on staying on Mount Targon for an extended period of time, and having Ashe with me might help."_ Besides, she seemed so happy at the thought and Pantheon couldn't bring himself to say no to her. He reached down and picked up his spear. "When do we leave?"


	4. Chapter 4

****A/N- I'm still trying to get a feel for how long these should be, so bear with me while I try to figure it out. Anyway, I hope you enjoy :)****

 **3 Days Later**

Pantheon stepped down from the carriage and shook his cape out behind him. He was glad to be finally free of that thing and to have his own two feet back on the ground. Ashe bounded out of the carriage behind him and barely stopped for a moment before excitedly moving towards the base of Mount Targon. Pantheon let out a sigh and followed after the white haired archer. She was moving much faster than him however and by the time he caught up she was sitting on a bench toward the side of the mountain path. She greeted him with a smile and a question. "Just how longer are we going to have to walk Pantheon?"

Pantheon flopped down next to her with a sigh. "Well, if you keep moving at this pace it shouldn't be much longer." Ashe laughed and gave him a gentle push on his shoulder.

"Well maybe if you didn't wear all that armor you would move a bit faster."

Pantheon feigned indignation "Well you never know when all this armor might come in handy."

Ashe laughed again and stood up. "Come on, let's keep moving" she said as she started up the path once more. Pantheon let out a soft chuckle under his breath as he stood to follow. Her leg had healed quickly and ever since leaving the Institute it was almost as if she had tapped into an endless supply of energy. Pantheon didn't mind though. " _The last time I was this happy I was playing on the slopes of this very mountain with Leona."_ He saddened at the thought of his lost friend but quickly shook it off. Thinking of Leona and this mountain would only bring back bad memories, and not just of her death. This energetic archer had showed him happiness again and he wasn't about to let that be dampened by memories of the past.

Once he caught up with Ashe the two walked side by side in relative silence for the next few minutes. Neither seemed too eager to be the first to break the silence and they remained this way for a while, simply enjoying each others company. However once they reached a point in the trail where a bridge crossed a small stream Pantheon stopped. "Once we cross this bridge we are officially in the territory of my people." Ashe nodded her head in understanding. "It might be best if you don't bring up being such a prominent citizen of the Freljord to anyone. No way of knowing how people might react." Ashe nodded again. "Well I guess that's that" Pantheon muttered before turning and crossing the bridge.

Almost as soon as they crossed the bridge they were confronted by two armed guards who appeared to simply step out of the rocks. Ashe seemed taken aback but Pantheon just ignored the. As he tried to walk the guards crossed their spears, stopping Pantheon in his tracks. Pantheon still wasn't wearing his helmet, but even without it the look he gave the guards would have made even the strongest warrior take a step back. "You must be new here" he growled at one of the guards. The guard just nodded without saying anything. Pantheon just sighed, raised his arm and removed one of his gauntlets. Ashe was surprised to see some kind of tattoo just above his wrist. The guards took one look at it and stepped back.

"Sorry sir, you may go right on through, but she has to stay."

Pantheon had started to walk passed him but turned back around at heating these words. "What did you say?"

"I'm sorry sir, but orders are orders. No outsiders are allowed."

Pantheon looked the man straight in the eyes. "You now have new orders. She is with me, and if I say she comes through, she comes through." He didn't move, or physically threaten the man, but just the way he said it made the guard immediately take a step back.

"Of course sir. Go right on through ma'am."

Ashe walked past the guard and caught up with Pantheon as he walked ahead. She was surprised to see he still wore an angry expression. "What was that all about?"

Pantheon looked towards as he walked and his expression softened. "My people have always been untrustworthy of outsiders. I had heard it got worse after the creation of the League but I didn't realize they weren't even letting outsiders in." Ashe still looked puzzled so Pantheon stopped and turned towards her. "My people live only for war. I left because I hoped that I could rise beyond that. I was tired of all the killing and the dying. Coming back to all of it is hard for me."

Ashe reached over and laid a hand on his arm. "If you ever need anything. Even if you just want to talk, I'm here. In return I just need one thing, for you to do the same for me once we reached Freljord."

Pantheon looked at her in surprise. "I appreciate that Ashe, I really do, but why would you need help in Freljord?"

She looked sad for a moment. "I'm sure you'll find out when we get there." She seemed to snap out of it after another moment and returned to her previous energetic self. "Come on, let's get moving" Ashe called over her shoulder as she continued back down the path.

Pantheon resigned himself to his fate and continued after Ashe. When he caught up to her (for the hundredth time) she had stopped and was staring ahead. Pantheon stepped up to her side. "Incredible, isn't it?"

Ashe nodded. "This is where you grew up?"

Pantheon nodded. They were just outside of his village, which was nestled in a crater on the side of the mountain. No one knew what had caused the crater, but it sure made a great place for a town. The sight that they were referring to however wasn't the cluster of homes and farms that made up most of the village. It was the picturesque view of the sun as it vanished behind the far side of the mountain. The light almost seemed to ripple over the town and gave everything a sort of glow. Pantheon looked at Ashe and saw that she had her eyes closed and was just letting the sun warm her face. " _She looks beautiful"_ Pantheon thought. Normally he would chastise himself for thinking something like that, but this was different. She really was beautiful.

When the sun finally disappeared beyond the horizon the two of them continued into the town. "I don't see any inns around here" Ashe pointed out.

Pantheon laughed. "We don't really get enough visitors up here to make an inn worthwhile. I figured we could just use my old place, especially consider we aren't going to be staying here long." Pantheon put extra emphasis on the last few words.

"Alright, sure. Can we look around in the morning?"

"Sure, not a problem, but first I really need to get some sleep. My house is this way, follow me." Pantheon led Ashe to the outskirts of town where a fairly large marble building stood, surrounded by a fence. Pantheon led the way through the gate and up to the door before pushing the heavy oak door open.

Ashe walked in behind him and let out several coughs as the dust kicked up by Pantheon's cape swirled around her face. "When was the last time someone was in here?" Ashe asked in between coughs.

Pantheon covered his face with one of his hands. "It's probably been six years, at the least."

"What about your family?"

Pantheon continued on through the house toward the main staircase that graced the front entryway, pretending as if he hadn't heard Ashe. Ashe shrugged off his silence and followed him upstairs. There was considerably less dust upstairs but Ashe still decided to remove her cowl and used it to cover her nose and mouth. When they reached the top Pantheon pointed toward a door to Ashe's left. "You can use that room. If my memory serves me it should have an attached bathroom. Hopefully the town has kept running water over here."

Ashe looked toward the door and back toward Pantheon. "Where will you be?"

Pantheon gestured over his shoulder. "I'll be just over there. If you need anything just come let me know. Good night." Pantheon turned and walked to his room.

Ashe stoop in the hallway looking wistfully toward Pantheon's room. "Good night" she whispered before turning and entering her room. Neither of them had brought much in the way of luggage with them, instead having it sent ahead to Freljord so Ashe just dropped her backpack on the floor and looked around the room. It appeared at least moderately clean and the four-post bed in the center of the room looked very comfortable. Too tired to explore the room Ashe removed her cape and boots before flopping down in the bed and staring up at the ceiling. Her last thoughts before slipping off into sleep were, " _maybe the nightmares won't come tonight."_

Across the hall Pantheon had already briefly looked his room over. It was the same bedroom he had used up until leaving the tribe years ago. It looked exactly as he had left it, with no personal belongings left behind. He pulled his armor off and draped it over a dusty armor stand in the corner. He looked longingly toward the bed, but instead of sleeping he sat down on the edge of the bed, and for the first time in a very long time he thought about why he had left his tribe.

 **7 Years Ago**

It had been shortly after a particularly nasty battle between Pantheon's legion and a bunch of Noxians who had trespassed onto their land. The Noxians had been completely routed and Pantheon stood amongst the slaughter, with his head held high and his crimson cape hanging behind him. He snorted as he watched the Noxians flee. The battle had been good at first, but as soon as Pantheon killed the Noxian commander they had all simply broken and run. Feeling as though he had been robbed he pointed toward the fleeing Noxians and roared "AFTER THEM!"

He didn't remember the chase very well, but he did remember what happened when they caught up with them. It was something that had stayed with him all these years. Probably would never leave him. It didn't take them long to catch the Noxians in a small grouping of trees. Pantheon thought it was odd that they had suddenly grown a spine decided to turn and face them, but he didn't think on it for very long. He didn't say anything, didn't even give the Noxians a chance to surrender. He just charged into the enemy's lines, confident that his men would follow him without hesitation.

To many such a battle would seem to be chaotic and bloody, but to Pantheon this was normal. This dance of death was not foreign to him and he welcomed it as he would welcome an old friend. He gave no quarter and expected none in return as he cut a path through the Noxians. Since birth he had been more powerful than any other in his tribe and it showed the most when he fought. Still confident that his men had his back he focused completely on the Noxians in front of him. As such it was no surprise that he didn't hear the thunderous sound of hoofbeats behind him until it was almost too late. When he turned to face the cavalry behind him the last thought that passed through his head was " _finally, a challenge"_ before a Noxian hammer smashed into the back of his head and fell forward, unconscious.

When he awoke the sun had set and all had gone quiet. Pantheon groggily stood from where he had fallen and glanced around. When he first viewed the carnage around him, rather than feeling the typical thrill, he felt nauseous. Suddenly panicked, he looked around for the rest of his legion. Seeing no one, he was confused at first. " _Surely my brothers would never abandon me."_ Any thoughts of his being abandoned were cut short when he looked closer at the bodies surrounding him. Mixed in with the Noxian dead he saw what remained of his legion. Every last one. Dead. When Pantheon returned from that battle, alone and bloodied, there were rumors. Rumors that he had lost his will to fight, even to live. When his parents died the following year Pantheon just vanished, telling no one where he was going. He didn't really know himself.


	5. Chapter 5

****A/N: A little bit of a shorter one this time as I wanted to give you guys a bit of an update. My vacation ended recently so I have unfortunately been thrust back into reality. This is probably going to reduce the amount of time I have to write and how much I am able to post.****

 ** **Also, if any of you want to add me on LOL I play on North America. My username is AlphaClab2. This account is only like level 10 and doing PVP without a sufficient friends list is a huge pain.****

 **Present Day**

Pantheon awoke on his bed a few hours later. He was covered in sweat and his hands were shaking uncontrollably. He hadn't meant to fall asleep so he quickly rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom. He was glad to see the water was still running so he splashed cold water in his face and tried to shake off the memories. When he walked back into his room he heard a soft knock at the door. " _What is Ashe doing up at this hour?"_ He quickly walked to the door and opened it slightly. "Everything alright?"

Ashe looked Pantheon in the eyes. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Pantheon feigned confusion, "What are you talking about?"

Ashe pushed the door opened the rest of the way and walked in. "I heard you shouting in your sleep."

Pantheon lowered his head. "I suppose there isn't any point in putting this off any longer." He motioned for her to sit down on the bed next to him. Over the next few minutes he confessed everything to Ashe. It all came out slowly at first, but the more he talked, the better he felt. When he finished talking he found that his hands had started to shake again. He attempted to hide the fact by closing them into fists but Ashe acted before he could. She reached over and took both his hands in her own and squeezed them tightly. Before Pantheon could do anything further, Ashe leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. He sat surprised for a moment, and before he could think of what to do next Ashe rushed from his room. He could hear her door slam shut across the hallway. " _Why did she do that?"_

Meanwhile, across the hall, Ashe sat in her bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. " _Why did I do that? What if he doesn't like me? I could have just ruined everything."_ Her mind kept bombarding her with emotions and thoughts, until she decided to go out and get some fresh air. Once outside she walked around behind the house and found what must have once been an impressive garden. Without proper tending the garden had been overtaken with weeds and trees had started to grow back. Ashe pulled herself up into one such tree and found a branch large enough to sit on. She remained there until she heard Pantheon calling her name from a short distance away. Rather than facing him, and facing her emotions, she shrank further into the shadows.

Once Pantheon had fully come to terms with the fact that Ashe had kissed him he immediately went to find her. Normally if someone had done something like that he would have just forgotten about it and moved on. But something about Ashe was different, and it didn't sit well with him to think of her alone in her room. If what he felt for her was really what he thought it was, he needed to find her. He could still feel her lips on his cheek, and his pulse still raced when he thought of her gentle touch. He had thought she would feel differently about him once he told her his story; but instead she had kissed him.

"I know you're out here Ashe" Pantheon shouted into the darkness.

Ashe had to bite her lip to keep from answering. " _I am a Freljordian noble. I should behave like one, and behavior like this certainly does not befit-."_ Any further thought was cut short when Pantheon suddenly felt herself being pulled from the tree. She let out a small squeal when she landed, but instead of the hard ground she expected, it was the welcoming arms of Pantheon. She looked up and saw him smiling down at her. " _I never realized just how bright his eyes got when he's happy."_ Ashe was a little disappointed when Pantheon set her down on a nearby bench but brightened up again when he sat down next to her.

"Is there something you want to talk about?" Pantheon asked her, with a playful grin.

Ashe was surprised at how easily he was handling the situation. If she had been the one kissed she would probably be a panicked mess right now, but Pantheon seemed to be enjoying all of this.

As all of this was going through her mind, Pantheon patiently awaited an answer. The only reason he was so calm about everything was that while Ashe was sitting in the tree he had taken that time to think back on their relationship. Now that he was looking back on everything that had transpired between them, he was able to quickly realize one thing. She had become more than a friend to him. He had confided in her, and in turn she had asked for the same from him. Now, for the first time in his life, he had someone he never wanted to lose. Which was why Ashe's response nearly broke him.

"I...I don't know if I can do this Pantheon."

Pantheon could barely find the strength to reply. "Why?"

"The last time I tried something like this...let's just say it didn't go well." While she was saying this she was looking down at her hands, but when Ashe finished speaking she looked up at Pantheon; and as soon as she did she wished she could take back everything she had just said. All of the playful happiness she had seen in him only moments before had completely vanished. " _He looks...lost."_

Pantheon stood to leave, but before he could, Ashe called out from behind him. "Wait Pantheon...I'm willing to give this, us, a chance. First you need to promise me one thing."

Pantheon turned back around, and some of his earlier happiness had returned to his face. "Anything."

"I need you to not ask me about my past relationship. When I am ready to tell you, I will, and when I do, I need you to be there for me." When she finished talking she could feel herself starting to tear up. Pantheon saw this and gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. Ashe rested her head on his shoulder while she waited for his answer.

After a few moments Pantheon started to speak. "Ashe, all I need is for you to give me a chance. If you can do that then I swear to you, I will make do everything I can to make you happy again. I _will_ make everything alright."

If anyone else had made a promise like this to her Ashe would have simply ignored them, thinking it to be an impossible task. But there was something about the way Pantheon said it that made her _want_ to believe it was the conviction, or the compassion. Whatever it was that made her believe him as soon as Ashe heard him say this she buried her head deeper in his shoulder and wept.

As Ashe cried into his shoulder Pantheon thought about the promise he had made. He never had been very good at relationships, and had made a point of avoiding them over the last few years. But he knew he would do anything for Ashe, no matter what she asked of him. He would keep his promise. When Ashe stopped crying she picked her head up from Pantheons shoulder and looked him in the eyes. The same eyes that never failed to make his heart beat faster, and filled him with more emotions than he had ever experienced.

"Pantheon, I just want you to know...that I don't want to take any of this too fast. Okay?"

"That's completely fine with me. There's no rush."

Ashe nodded and smiled at him, happy that she had found someone who wouldn't try to rush her into anything. She started to say something else but was cut short when it suddenly started raining. One minute the sky was clear, without a sign of rain, and now it was like the moon had vanished. Pantheon had been perfectly comfortable sitting outside with "Ashe, and once the rain started he glared up at the sky, " _of all the times for it to start raining."_ He was momentarily distracted from glaring up at the sky by a peal of laughter beside him.

"What are you going to do Pantheon, fight the rain?"

Pantheon was pleasantly surprised by how quickly Ashe had recovered from before. Her laugh always seemed to brighten everything around her. "I dunno, I was thinking about it."

Ashe let out another laugh at this and rose from the bench. "Come on, let's get into some cover."

Pantheon got up to follow her and grumbled something about rain always ruining everything. They quickened their pace as the rain started to fall harder, and by the time they made it to the back door they were practically running. Unfortunately the door was locked so they squeezed themselves underneath the overhang above the door. Ashe put her back to the door and turned to face Pantheon who was appeared to be slightly more uncomfortable than before at their close proximity.

In order to completely get out of the rain he had to place his hands on either side of Ashe and lean in towards her, which only served to close the distance even further. He could see Ashe's obvious amusement with the situation but he was most certainly **not** amused. Not that he would ever tell her, but he had never really gone that far with a woman. Or gone anywhere for that matter. It nearly drove him over the edge when Ashe looked up at him with those soft blue eyes of hers and started to bite her lower lip. Suddenly, in that moment, Pantheon had a strong urge to kiss her; but before he could he thought back to what she had said about taking it slow.

Ashe however, had finally had enough of waiting for him to act. If he wasn't going to do something, then she would. Ashe stood up on her toes and pulled Pantheon in even closer before planting a light kiss on his lips.

Pantheon's first reaction was to pull away, but in that moment he lost all ability to even move. When she stopped kissing him, rather than pulling back she kept her forehead pressed against his. Her wet hair was plastered to the sides of her head and face. When Pantheon still didn't say anything Ashe started to chew on her lower lip again, in her typical adorable way. Pantheon finally decided to throw caution to the wind and softly whispered in Ashe's ear.

"You look beautiful."

Those three simple words made Ashe turn a very deep shade of red and she started to look away. Before she could Pantheon gently placed his hand under her chin so she was facing him again.

"And what about that whole 'taking it slow' thing?"

Ashe let out a small smile. "Well things don't always go to plan, do they?"

Pantheon nodded in agreement before giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. "Come on, we should go inside."

"But the door is locked."

Pantheon smiled around her and wrapped his arm around her waist before turning the doorknob with his free hand. The door swung open immediately and they both stepped through before closing it behind them.

Ashe looked at him accusingly. "It was unlocked the whole time?"

Pantheon looked at her sheepishly. "Well in my defence, you never really gave me the chance to tell you."

Ashe realized Pantheon was right and turned the stairs. "I don't know about you but I'm tired. See you in the morning."

Pantheon called out a good night and made sure to lock the back door. When he turned towards it however, he noticed a letter lying on the floor. It certainly hadn't been there earlier which meant someone had delivered it before they went outside. Pantheon bent to retrieve it and opened the envelope. He recognized the seal as being that of the current Rakkor leader. He was a fierce man who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. He quickly scanned over the letter and felt the cold grip of fear take hold of him. He crumpled the letter in his hand and reassured himself " _they don't have any control over me. This is one thing they can_ _ **never**_ _force me to do."_

Meanwhile, upstairs Ashe had also received a letter, although this one came tied to the leg of one the Freljordian messenger hawks. Under the watchful eye of the hawk Ashe gently unraveled the letter wrapped around it's leg. Per usual for a message born by a messenger bird it was very short and to the point.

 _Your presence is required back in the Freljord immediately. A tribe has been attacked. No survivors._

Ashe quickly walked toward the door, intending to find Pantheon and tell them that they had to leave immediately. She opened her door, and as she stepped into the hallway she plowed straight into Pantheon who was just getting ready to knock on the door.

"Sorry Pantheon, I was just coming to look for you."

Pantheon had a distracted look in his eyes and Ashe noticed that he had quickly shoved a piece of paper in his pocket.

"What was it you needed?"

Ashe handed Pantheon the letter and he quickly read through it. "We should leave for the Freljord in the morning."

Ashe nodded, happy that Pantheon was so willing to come along. They had previously made plans with the Institute summoners to have them be teleported from Mount Targon to the Institute headquarter in the Freljord. All it took was a quickly relayed message and the summoners agreed to push the teleport to the following morning.

By the time all this had been arranged it was nearly four in the morning and Pantheon looked like he was about ready to fall asleep where he was standing. "We only have a few hours so I'm going to get some sleep."

Ashe managed a tired nod. "That sounds like a good idea."

For the third time that night they both retired to their rooms. Pantheon passed out almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, falling into a dreamless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

 **A/N: Wow, it's taken me a long time to upload anything. For anyone who actually reads this, I feel like I need to apologize. I'm going to try and be more regular with these chapters while still trying to improve my writing. As usual, any advice would be fantastic and let me know what you think. :)**

The next morning Pantheon woke up and quickly went about preparing for the trip to the Freljord. He had almost forgotten about the letter he had received the previous day until he felt it in his pocket. He dug the now crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket and stared at it. It was times like this that made him wish he could simply will his problems out of existence. Instead, he did the next best thing and shoved the letter deep the bottom of his pack, hoping it would all just be forgotten.

Pantheon also decided that, since they would be teleported to the Freljord, he would bring a few extra things along with him. He quickly wrapped these 'extra' items in oilskin cloth and set them aside. Teleportation had seen some major advances in the last few years and the league summoners were now able to teleport someone with their belongings, even without the use of something like a summoning chamber.

After packing everything, Pantheon made his way over to Ashe's room to see if she was ready to leave. He knocked on the door and waited a few minutes for an answer. After hearing nothing he knocked again, but louder this time. After still not getting an answer he reached down and tried the knob. Finding that it was unlocked he opened the door a few inches and peered through the doorway. He let out a frustrated sigh and opened the door the rest of the way after seeing that Ashe was still curled up in her bed..

Pantheon glanced around the room and wasn't surprised to see that Ashe had failed to pack any of her things. She didn't have much with her to pack, but nonetheless it was enough to take up time. Pantheon quietly made his way over to Ashe's bedside and reached over to wake her up. When he saw how peaceful she looked sleeping, he hesitated. " _I don't need to wake her up now. I can pack her stuff for her, while she gets some rest."_

He stepped back from the bed and quietly gathered Ashe's things together, taking care not to snoop or breach her privacy. He was just finishing moving her last bag closer to the door when he heard Ashe start moving around. He turned to leave, but she noticed him before he could.

"Hey, what time is it?" Ashe asked in a sleepy voice.

Pantheon turned around and gave a one word answer. "Late."

Ashe shot upright in bed and looked around. "Oh my god, I overslept. I need to pack up all my things and…." Her voice trailed off when she noticed all her bags neatly piled by the door. "You packed everything?"

Pantheon nodded and laughed. "You seemed to need the rest."

Ashe nodded sheepishly. "I guess I was pretty tired." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and let out a yawn.

"We still have a little while before we leave. If you want to get a bit more rest, I'll be outside."

Ashe stood up and stifled a yawn. "No, I'm fine now."

Pantheon looked at her skeptically. "If you say so."

Pantheon started to turn back towards the door but he heard Ashe start to move towards him. Before he could turn back around he felt her slender arms wrap around his waist, and her cheek press against his back.

"Thank you."

Pantheon placed his hands over Ashe's and gave them a small squeeze. "For what?"

Ashe pressed closer against his back, and said in a voice just above a whisper. "For everything, I guess."

Pantheon turned in Ashe's embrace until he was facing her and pulled her in for a quick kiss. "I should be the one thanking you."

Ashe took a step back and ran her fingers through her hair. "I guess I should get changed before we leave."

Pantheon nodded and stepped out into the hallway. "Let me know when you're done." He said, before closing the door.

After a few minutes of standing in the hallway Pantheon decided to wander back to his room and make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. When he opened the door he was greeted by a strange sight, but one that he was expecting. The window next to the bed was open, and a man was leaning against the wall next to it.

It was obvious that he was a Rakkor but he wasn't wearing the normal clothing. Instead of armor or casual clothing he wore dark colored leather clothing and carried a short sword rather than a spear. Pantheon sized him up before acknowledging him.

"What do you want?"

The man raised his head, his face hidden beneath a hood. "You know why I am hear. You haven't done what you were asked."

Pantheon crossed his arms and looked at the man with undisguised loathing. "They have no right to ask that of me. Besides, that old bastard is only in charge because of me."

The man shrugged. "None of that concerns me. If you won't do it, I will." He said, as he straightened and stepped forward.

Pantheon uncrossed his arms and grabbed his spear from where it sat propped next to the door. "I order you to stop where you are."

The man hesitated for a moment. "You're not in charge. You gave that up years ago."

Pantheon sat in silence for a few minutes and then sighed. "Wait here." He turned and walked into the hallway and stopped outside Ashe's room. "I have to go take care of something. I'll be back before we leave." He heard Ashe shout something back and then turned back to his room.

He motioned towards the man. "Come with me."

 **1 Hour Later**

Pantheon barged through the front door and ran upstairs towards Ashe's room, grabbing his bags as he went. He pushed through the door without knocking, and looked around. To his relief he saw that Ashe was still there.

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you?"

Pantheon nodded. "Just had a few things to take care of. How much longer?"

Ashe glanced out the window. "Should be just abo-"

Anything else she said was cut off as a familiar purple light surrounded both of them. After a few seconds everything seemed to go black, and suddenly they were standing in a completely different room.

Pantheon shook his head. "Never gonna get used to that."

Ashe laughed and looked around. "Well Pantheon, welcome to the Freljord."

Pantheon took in a moment to take in his surroundings. They were in a round marble room, with a large circle of runes etched into the floor. There was no windows and only one door, with a robed summoner standing next to it. Ashe walked towards the door and beckoned for Pantheon to follow.

"Don't worry about your stuff, someone will bring it to your room." Ashe said, as she walked through the doorway.

Pantheon followed her outside and down a short hallway. The hallway led them out into a massive central room, with an arched ceiling and columns spiraling up from the sides. A dark blue carpet ran down the center of the room and the walls were covered in intricate tapestries and banners. Ashe reached over and grabbed Pantheon's hand.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Ashe asked him.

Pantheon nodded and looked down at Ashe's hand. "Is it a good idea to….you know….?"

Ashe laughed. "What, are you worried about Tryndamere or something? We're not actually married and what does it matter if anyone sees us?"

Pantheon nodded. "I guess you're right."

Ashe led him across the room to another door. "I'm supposed to attend a meeting or something about the attacks. Want to join us?"

Pantheon shrugged. "Sure. Anything you need, just let me know."

"Thanks. Most of the military leaders around here couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag." Ashe whispered as she opened the door.

Pantheon followed Ashe through the door and stood awkwardly to the side. Ashe walked to the head of the long table in the center of the room and took a seat. She motioned for him to sit to her right. Pantheon gratefully sat down and glanced at the other people sat around the table. None of them struck him as being particularly interesting, most just looked like your typical politicians. Wearing formal clothing, bored looks on their face, and not bearing a single visible mark of work or battle.

However a few faces around the table looked a bit more interested, and a few he even recognized. Tryndamere sat across from him, oddly deciding not to sit at the table head, and Pantheon saw Braum seated a few chairs down.

After another few minutes of paper shuffling and silence, Ashe cleared her throat and spoke up. "Well, is anyone going to say something?"

It took another minute for someone to finally stand up. He had a small stature but spoke clearly, and explained the situation to everyone. Apparently more attacks had occurred throughout Valoran, but the majority were occurring in the Freljord. Two villages had been attacked, with heavy loss of life, and reports were coming in of people going missing.

This news troubled Pantheon, and he could see that Ashe seemed concerned as well. Whoever was behind this was targeting the Freljord, and the Avarosans in particular. The people around the table debated for a while longer, but Pantheon had stopped listening. All signs pointed toward Noxus as being the culprit. Very little had been heard from the city state in the last few days and everyone knew wanted the Freljord for their own.

He kept tossing ideas around in his head until the meeting started to draw to a close. He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt Ashe poke him in the arm. He looked over to see her blue eyes staring into his own, and a smile playing about her face.

"You didn't listen to any of that, did you?" Ashe asked him.

Pantheon shifted nervously. "Not really. Was I supposed to get involved or something?"

Ashe laughed. "It's probably best that you didn't. I think you were making some of them pretty nervous, and if you spoke up they might have had a heart attack."

Pantheon chuckled. "I'm not sure how you managed to unite the Freljord. None of them seem particularly useful." Pantheon said, gesturing toward the now empty seats.

Ashe sighed and moved her chair closer to his. "It wasn't easy. Especially now. The bigger we get, the more people want to share their opinions."

Pantheon draped one of his arms over her shoulders and tousled her hair. "I know how you feel. That's exactly why I decided against following in my families footsteps."

Ashe looked up at him in surprise. "Your family was politicians?"

"Well, the closest the Rakkor have to politicians." Pantheon said with a smile. "My family has been the ruling family up until a few years ago."

Ashe still looked surprised. "So, a new ruler was elected?"

Pantheon shifted uncomfortably. "Sort of."

"What do you mean?"

"Well….technically my family is still in control." Pantheon said quietly.

Ashe looked at him and a smile started to spread across her face. "You're supposed to be in charge."

Pantheon snorted. "Supposed to be? I kind of am. I just have someone else do the day to day for me. Although recently it started to get to his head." At the last sentence, anger started to show in Pantheon's voice.

Ashe heard this and decided to leave the conversation for another time. "Well I guess that doesn't really surprise me. Come on I'll show you where you're staying."

Ashe rose and made for the door, with Pantheon close behind. He was surprised that she had dropped the subject so easily, but grateful nonetheless. She wordlessly led him back through the main hall, now much darker, and up a flight of stairs. They came to a long hallway with a large set of double doors at the end.

"That's my room down there." Ashe said pointing at the double doors. "Your room is the door just to the right."

Pantheon opened the door to his room and looked around. The center of the room was dominated by a large bed and the furniture was of a high quality.

Pantheon felt Ashe run her hand over his shoulder as she stepped up next to him. "I wasn't sure how long you would be staying for, so I had them change a few of the decorations around."

Pantheon looked where she was pointing, and saw to his surprise that the long banner above the bed boasted the image of a Rakkor helmet rather than the Avarosan bow you might expect.

"I wasn't really sure which crest to put up, I hope I picked the right one. Also I have no idea what those runes under the helmet mean."

Pantheon turned towards her with a wide smile on his face. He pulled up the sleeve on his arm to show her a tattoo just above his wrist. It had the same helmet, and a sort of arrow shaped symbol beneath it. "It's perfect Ashe, thank you."

Ashe smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Now, I'm going to go get some rest."

"Good night." Pantheon said.

After she had left Pantheon had a look around the rest of his room. As one would expect in a palace it was very spacious, and Pantheon was happy to see someone had indeed brought all his things up and put them away.

Already exhausted, Pantheon didn't bother to look around the room to closely. He changed out of the clothes he had been wearing all day and dropped gratefully into the bed. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep, and then they came.

Maybe it was because it was an unfamiliar place, or a side effect of the traveling. Maybe it was his recent visit home, or maybe it was none of it. Whatever the cause, they came. The face and the voices. All of them. One moment he was back in a field, with the screams of the dying and the stench of blood, the next he was watching one of his men die in his arms. This wasn't the first time he had been plagued by these nightmares, but this time there was a new one. Mixed in with the old memories were even more horrible visions. Visions of Ashe, lying broken and bloody in the snow.

Even after he awoke he could still hear the cries in his head. His hands were shaking again, and his vision blurred as he sat up. He remained like this until he felt a cool touch against his back. He didn't need to turn to see who it was, and merely her presence calmed him slightly. He felt her soft hair brush against the side of his face, and could hear her whispering in his ear. He couldn't make out everything she said, but her voice soothed his troubled mind and he started to breathe normally again.

Exhaustion weighed heavily on him and he wordlessly fell back into his bed. He felt Ashe curl up next to him before he gratefully entered a dreamless sleep.

When Pantheon woke the next morning he had a moment of confusion before remembering the previous night's events. Ashe was still pressed against his chest, and he could feel her warm breath against his skin. He shifted his weight slightly, and Ashe cracked open one eye.

"Are you feeling better?" She asked.

Pantheon nodded slightly. "Thanks for staying. It really helped."

Ashe blushed slightly and looked away. "Well, it helps me sleep too."

Pantheon waited to see if she would continue before speaking. "I told you about mine. You want to talk about it?"

Ashe went quiet for a few minutes. "Maybe another time."

Pantheon didn't push it, and instead was content to just lay there for a while. After a few minutes, Ashe laid one of her fingers on his right arm and started tracing a scar that ran half the length of his arm.

"How did you get this?" Ashe asked.

Pantheon looked down at his arm. "Oh that one? Noxians sent an assassin after me a few years back. Nice enough guy."

Ashe looked at him in surprise. "You knew him?"

Pantheon nodded. "Yeah, neither of us could kill the other so we just kind of called it a draw."

"Just like that?" Ashe asked incredulously.

"Just like that. Actually, you might have seen him around the League. Talon du Couteau."

Ashe shook her head in disbelief. "You expect me to believe that actually happened?"

Pantheon laughed. "If you don't believe me, ask Talon the next time you see him."

Ashe rolled to the side and sat up, stretching her arms as she did. "We should probably get up."

Pantheon sat up as well, and slid his legs off the opposite side of the bed. He stood up and stretched his arms out in front of him.

"So what's the plan for today?" Pantheon asked Ashe.

Ashe shrugged her shoulders. "Not sure. I thought we might take a ride out and check some of the villages that were attacked."

Pantheon nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. Could give us an idea of what we're up against."

Ashe crossed to the other side of the room and pulled Pantheon into a kiss. She lingered for a moment before pulling away and heading towards the door.

"I'm going to go change, be back in a minute." She said before crossing the hallway.

Pantheon walked across the room and dug through a few of the wardrobes. After a while he found a suitable change of clothes, that were warm enough for the Freljordian weather.

After he changed he walked around his room until he found what he was looking for. A small, reinforced door set into one of the walls opened into a personal weapon room. He was happy to see it wasn't only stocked with his weapons, but a selection of others as well. He retrieved his normal shield and spear but also made certain to belt on his short sword, called a xiphos. It was of typical Rakkor design, but much older and with an engraved pommel.

He decided to leave his room and wait for Ashe in the hall so he made his way out the door, and turned to shut it behind him. After a few minutes of waiting Ashe walked out of her room, wearing an outfit similar to what she wore at the Institute, but much better suited for cold climates. She had her usual bow slung over her shoulder and a pair of daggers on her belt.

"Come on Pantheon, they'll have horses waiting for us at the gate." Ashe said as she walked by.

Pantheon straightened and moved to follow. He had a strange feeling in his gut, that one way or another, this was going to be an interesting day.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: So, here I am finally posting another chapter. Still fairly new to writing so these take me a little while but I hop you enjoy it. As usual I would love any reviews you have, even if you're just telling what I'm doing wrong. Thanks for reading!**

 **-AlphaClab**

Pantheon straightened and moved to follow. He had a strange feeling in his gut, that one way or another, this was going to be an interesting day.

He had learned from experience that he should always listen to his gut, and his gut was saying something was bound to go wrong.

"How far away is the site?" Pantheon asked.

Ashe shifted her bow from one shoulder to the other. "Not too far. And that's why we are so concerned. Whoever they are, they are willing to strike within close proximity to the capitol."

Pantheon absentmindedly rubbed one hand across the pommel of his sword. "Do you think it's the Noxians?"

Ashe shrugged. "I hope not, but who else could it be?."

They exited the palace through a side entrance and made their way to a large stable set in the shadow of the palace walls. A small group of soldiers were waiting for them, along with several people who were tending to the horses. When Ashe had first told him they would be taking horses, Pantheon was surprised that they could be used in such a climate. But the Freljordian horses had adapted to such a climate over the years and were still the best source of travel.

Someone passed Pantheon a pair of reins belonging to a jet black horse and everyone mounted their horses. One of the soldiers took point and led the group Northeast, toward the mountains. Pantheon found himself alongside Ashe in the center of the procession. She was astride a horse with a light grey, almost white, colored coat.

They rode in silence for a while, with the occasional gust of wind whipping the snow into small flurries.

When the wind died down Pantheon shifted in his saddle and turned towards Ashe. "So did your scouts see anything out there?"

Ashe shook her head. "They just found what was left and reported it."

Pantheon nodded and took stock of the men they had with them. "If we run into anything out there, do you really think seven men will be enough?"

Ashe nodded confidently. "These are royal guard. Some of the best we have. Besides, who wants to mess with two League champions?" She said with a smile.

Pantheon chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

They went silent for a few more minutes until the lead soldier raised his arm and signaled them everyone to stop.

"We should be coming up on it in the next few minutes." He said.

As soon as they heard this everyone got a little bit straighter in their saddles and became even more alert to their surroundings. Up ahead Pantheon could see a cliff face with a large canyon cutting a path through the middle of it.

"Is that it?" He asked, motioning toward the cliff.

Ashe nodded. "Yeah, it opens up toward the end and provides shelter from the wind. One way in."

Pantheon nodded grimly. "And one way out."

They got quiet after that until they reached the entrance to the canyon. The horses milled about the entrance before they coaxed them through the opening. Several horses could ride side abreast one another in the canyon, and the walls stretched high above them.

They made it about twenty yards in before they saw the first body. A young male, slumped against the canyon wall with an arrow in his chest. Pantheon and Ashe both dismounted and approached the body. Ashe crouched down next to the remains and pulled the arrow from his chest.

"Was he one of the guards?" Pantheon asked.

Ashe nodded. "He's dressed like one, and they normally had a few watching the entrance."

Pantheon pointed at the sword still sheathed at his waist. "He never even went for his sword. Probably never even saw who did it."

Ashe glanced up and down the ravine. "We should keep moving."

They both climbed back on their horses and the group kept moving up the path. They passed another body a few yards beyond the other, also killed by an arrow and with his weapons still sheathed. Just beyond the second body was a sharp turn in the canyon, and just before they came to it the lead guard signaled them to stop once again.

"We should leave the horses here. The village is just around this corner." He said.

They all dismounted and wrapped the horse's reins around several bars set into the canyon walls. Pantheon removed his shield from his back and took his spear from the sheath on the horse's side. The other guards also arranged their weapons to be more accessible, and Ashe readied her bow before leading them around the corner.

At first glance the village seemed pretty normal. Maybe a dozen scattered buildings, with more sitting in the background. The ground was covered in several inches of snow, any tracks long since covered. When the group entered the village they spread out into a skirmishers line and slowly approached the houses. Pantheon could see dark shapes scattered amongst the buildings, the snow around some a crimson color.

When they drew even with the first home, Pantheon signaled everyone to stop. Once they had he raised his shield and loudly slammed the head of his spear against it several times. The noise echoed off the canyon walls, before falling silent again. The group waited for a few minutes, and after hearing nothing, continued their search.

Pantheon made sure to stay alongside Ashe, as he wasn't familiar with the Freljordian people, and as such he wouldn't be able to distinguish one body from another. They checked all the bodies outside the buildings first, and found not one body that belonged to the force responsible. Ashe checked the arrows found in some of the bodies, and found them all to be generic, nondescript arrows of unknown origin.

After a while she seemed to grow frustrated and stopped to rest against the wall of one of the buildings. Pantheon stopped what he was doing to sit next to her, and was surprised to see tears in her eyes. He wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders and gently pulled her close.

She reached one of her hands up and took a handful of his shirt in her grip. "They were my people. I was supposed to protect them."

Pantheon sighed and motioned around him. "None of this is your fault. You can't do anything for them now, but you can help keep this from happening to anyone else."

After saying this, Pantheon stood and reached a hand out to Ashe. She took it, and he pulled her to her feet. Just as he finished doing this, one of the guards jogged around the corner.

"Sounds like we have a group moving through the canyon. Coming fast." The guard said, breathlessly.

Pantheon and Ashe both cast a glance in the others direction before rushing off toward the canyon exit. When they arrived they found that everyone else had already gathered there, and were readying weapons. They didn't have enough time to establish any sort of defense, so they just readied their weapons and planted their feet in the snow.

Pantheon heard Ashe take up a position a little to his left and behind him, and ready her bow. He took a moment to close his eyes, and focus his thoughts. He opened them just in time to see a group of a dozen or so men round the corner and exit the canyon in front of him. From their armor they appeared to be mercenaries, but whoever they were, they seemed surprised to see the Freljordians there. Any hopes that they were friendly were dashed when they raised their weapons and charged. As soon as the fighting started, Pantheon slipped back into the rhythm of combat.

Due to not having a normal fighting formation, Pantheon decided to take the fight to them. The first one who made a move got a shield bash to the face followed by a lethal spear thrust that caught him in the throat. Before his body even hit the ground Pantheon moved on to the next closest, who stood several spear lengths away. He raised his arm and calmly threw his spear, catching the man square in the chest and knocking him to the ground.

He sprinted to the man's body and yanked the spear from his chest, turning to find his next target. He was dismayed to see another group pouring from the canyon. He didn't have long to dwell on it however, as another mercenary tried to approach him from behind. Pantheon turned just in time to see the man catch one of Ashe's arrows in the side. He quickly gave Ashe a nod before turning back to the conflict.

He was able to easily hold his own against any two of the mercenaries before them, until a stray arrow caught him in the shoulder. In response the man responsible caught Pantheon's spear in his stomach, and crumpled in a heap. Pantheon made a move to retrieve his spear, but was stopped when confronted by yet another mercenary. The man made a rapid upward swing that Pantheon was just able to catch on the edge of his shield, while also dragging his sword from his sheath with his free hand. As soon as his sword was free from his he made a violent shove forward with his shield, and put an end to the man with a powerful slash that tore him from one hip to the opposite shoulder. He quickly spun around, searching for his next target, and found that everything had gone very still.

He glanced around again, trying to find anyone still standing, and saw Ashe lying slumped in the snow. He started to rush toward her side, but felt a wave of pain overcome his body and stars danced in front of his eyes. He felt the ground rushing up to meet him, and suddenly everything went black and silent.

When Pantheon awoke, it felt like he had been tossed around by a bear. He felt warmth on his face, and someone gently wrapping his shoulder in some sort of bandage. He cracked one eye open to see a small fire burning just in front of him. He could still feel the presence of someone next to him, so he glanced over to see Ashe looking at him with concern in her eyes.

"What happened?" Pantheon asked, while sitting up straight.

"That sword must have had something on the blade. It looked like it knocked you out." Ashe replied.

"Well that hardly seems fair." Pantheon grumbled, while taking in their surroundings.

They were inside one of the village homes, and Ashe had started a small fire in the stove for warmth.

"So did we win?" Pantheon asked.

A look of sadness came over Ashe's eyes. "If you can call it winning. We're the only ones left."

They sat in silence for a moment, before Pantheon looked over at Ashe and saw a large bruise on the side of her head. He reached out to touch it, and she winced.

"How did that happen?" He asked.

Ashe brushed his hand away. "It's nothing. Got hit in the head."

Pantheon scooted closer to her, and reached out once again, taking care to be more gentle this time.

"I saw you fighting out there. I was impressed." Pantheon said.

"Well it certainly wasn't my first time." Ashe replied.

Pantheon tucked some of Ashe's hair behind her ear to get a better look at the mark. A pile of snow sat next to the door, and Pantheon reached behind him to pick up a small handful of it. He gently pressed it to the bruise, to help numb the pain.

Ashe smiled in appreciation and scooted closer to Pantheon. They just sat and watched the fire for a while before Ashe reached over and picked up Pantheon's shield. Even after the recent fighting the shield had retained much of it's shine and the firelight reflected off of it. Ashe hefted the shield in her hands, testing its weight and balance.

Pantheon watched her trying to put the shield on, a small smile on his face. The firelight danced across her face and her eyes held a gentle glow.

Ashe glanced up, noticing the smile. "What? What's so funny?"

Pantheon kept looking at her with the same strange look. "It's just…. Nothing, never mind."

Ashe shrugged. "Whatever, be weird. Now are you going to help me put this on?"

Pantheon laughed and reached over to help. "Just slide your arm through this strap." He said, while providing a guiding hand.

Ashe tightened the strap around her arm and grasped the metal handle with her hand. She tested the weight of the shield again before frowning at it slightly.

"What's the matter, don't like it?" Pantheon asked.

"It's light for its size, but it seems like it would get in the way."

Pantheon shook his head. "Once you learn how to fight with one, it becomes more of an advantage."

Ashe started taking the shield off. "What is it with you guys and your shields anyway? I have heard the Rakkor are a little obsessed with them."

Pantheon thought for a few minutes before answering. "Our legions all fight with shields. It's not just for our protection, but for the protection of anyone who needs it."

"So if one of you loses your shield in combat, it puts more than just themselves at risk?"

Pantheon nodded. "Yeah, that's it. Not all of the Rakkor fight with shields though, and those that don't are looked down upon."

Ashe seemed confused when Pantheon said this. "Why would they be looked down on?"

Pantheon shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Some people are just unwilling to accept new things."

Ashe sighed and moved to rest her hand on Pantheon's shoulder. "I know how you feel."

Pantheon wrapped his arm around Ashe and pulled her closer. He leaned his head down and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. They lay together and watched the fire until they both fell asleep.


End file.
